1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to flexible bags and, more particularly, to sterile disposable plastic bags for use in handling various liquids.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various bags have been developed for the sterile transportation and/or storage of samples in the medical and food fields, such as human fluid samples, milk, water in environmental studies, etc.
Such a plastic bag is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,829 issued on Oct. 15, 1996 to Lafond. As seen in FIG. 3, in this patent a disposable sterile plastic bag B comprises a two-ply sheet flexible material consisting of front and rear sheets 8 integrally joined at opposed side edges 12, 12 thereof (or the bag may be made from a tube) and including opposite upper and lower ends 10 and 14, respectively. The front and rear sheets 8, 8 are joined at the upper and lower ends 10 and 14 thereof respectively by upper and lower heat seals 16 and 18, respectively, with a sealed sample receiving chamber being defined between the two plastic sheets 8, 8 inwardly of the bag""s side edges 12, 12 and upper and lower sealed ends 16 and 18. Inwardly of the upper seal 16, there is defined a tear-off line 20 transversely across the two sheets 8, 8 and parallelly to the upper seal 16 thereby forming a detachable strip 24 outwardly of the tear-off line 20. The tear off line 20 is punctured through both sheets 8 across the upper end 10 of the bag B and lower than the upper heat seal 16 such that the upper heat seal 16 extends substantially parallelly between the tear off line 20 and an upper edge 26 of the bag B. When the liquid sample is ready to be introduced in the bag B, the strip 24 is removed from the bag B by pulling it so as to cause rupture of the two sheets 8, 8 at the tear-off line 20. The bag""s chamber is thus sterile when the sample is introduced therein and the bag B, when so opened, defines a mouth 22 through which the liquid sample may be introduced in the bag B. The bag""s sterility does not depend on how the bag is packaged or on the integrity of the packaging""s seal as the bag is itself sterile until the strip 24 is removed therefrom, that is until the bag B is ready to be used.
Such plastic bags may also include near an open end thereof a wire or metal strip which is mounted transversely across the bag with ends extending past the side edges of the bag. Once the bag has been filled with the sample to be transported/stored, the open end is folded at least once over the bag about the wire or metal strip so as to close the open end and the ends of the wire or metal strip are then folded at the side edges of the bag and brought around so as to extend inwardly behind the bag. This safely and effectively encloses the sample in the plastic bag.
It is therefore an aim of the present invention to provide a novel sterile bag for holding therein liquids.
It is also aim of the present invention to provide a novel sterile bag having indicia thereon for allowing a user to determine at least approximately the volume of liquid in the bag.
It is a further aim of the present invention to provide a novel sterile bag which includes an extension outside of the bag""s liquid receiving chamber and adapted to be allow the user to provide, such as by writing, information thereon, for instance data regarding the liquid stored in the bag.
It is a still further aim of the present invention to provide a sterile bag in combination with a breast pumping device, wherein breast milk delivered by the pumping device is conveyed directly and sterilely into the bag, for instance, for storage thereof.
It is a still further aim of the present invention to provide a sterile bag in combination with a feeding bottle where the bag acts as a bottle liner, whereby there is no transfer of milk from the storage bag to the feeding bottle bag.
Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a disposable sterile plastic bag in combination with a breast pumping device, said bag being adapted to contain breast milk and to be fluidly connected to said pumping device, said pumping device being adapted for retrieving breast milk from a human breast such that said breast milk is directed into said bag, said bag comprising a flexible closed enclosure means defining a chamber adapted to contain therein the breast milk received from said pumping device, said enclosure means being permanently sealed except at one portion thereof which comprises bag access means adapted to substantially seal said bag in a first position thereof but also adapted to selectively allow in a second position thereof the breast milk to be introduced in said chamber when it is desired to use said bag, whereby once in said second position the breast milk can be received in said bag with said bag is fluidly connected to said pumping device.
Also in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a disposable sterile plastic bag in combination with a bag holder, said bag being adapted to contain milk, said bag holder comprising a hollow body and a cap provided with a nipple and being adapted for feeding a baby, said bag holder being adapted for receiving therein said bag, said bag comprising a flexible closed enclosure means defining a chamber adapted to contain milk therein, said enclosure means being permanently sealed except at one portion thereof which comprises bag access means adapted to substantially seal said bag in a first position thereof but also adapted to selectively allow in a second position thereof the milk to be introduced in said chamber when it is desired to use said bag, wherein, once in said second position, a top end of said bag can be folded over an upper end of said bag holder with said cap being engageable to said upper end of said bag holder for imprisoning said top end of said bag between said cap and said upper end of said bag holder such that said bag hangs in said bag holder with milk being introduced in said bag at least one of before and after said bag is inserted in said bag holder and mounted thereto.
Further in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method of substantially sterilely handling breast milk, comprising the steps of:
a) providing a disposable sterile bag;
b) fluidly connecting said bag to an outlet of a breast pumping device; and
c) retrieving breast milk from a human breast by way of said pumping device and conveying the breast milk directly from said outlet into said bag.
Still further in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method of substantially sterilely handling breast milk, comprising the steps of:
a) providing a disposable sterile bag comprising a tear off strip and providing a bag holder;
b) removing said tear off strip to reveal a milk receiving chamber of said bag; and
c) mounting said bag to said bag holder;
wherein milk is introduced in said bag between said steps b) and c) or after step c).
Still further in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a disposable bag in combination with a breast pumping device, said bag being adapted to contain breast milk and to be fluidly connected to said pumping device, said pumping device being adapted for retrieving breast milk from a human breast, said bag comprising an enclosure means defining a chamber adapted to contain therein the breast milk received from said pumping device, said enclosure means defining an opening for allowing the breast milk to be introduced in said chamber, whereby, when said bag is fluidly connected to said pumping device, the breast milk pumped by said pumping device is directed into said bag.